Car towed in Central

1Find who towed your car

No record of a tow anywhere? Report the car to police as possibly stolen.

2What they can charge

A standard car towed from a private lot costs at most $152.50 flat, and storage is at most $34.00 per calendar day. A fuel surcharge on a sliding scale and postage on notice letters may also be added, and the Commission re-sets all figures each April. See the official Louisiana (statewide, Public Service Commission) rates (opens in a new tab).

Statewide, the administrative fee to release a car from the tow company's lien cannot exceed $36.00.

Estimate your bill

3What to bring

• The registered owner, a lienholder, or someone with written permission from the owner can claim the car. The note must include the helper's name, the owner's signed name and phone number, and the car's year, make, model and color.
• Tow companies must accept credit cards. They may add the card processing fee to the bill only as a separate line item. If you pay cash and change is due, they must give change or mail it within 10 days. Call ahead to ask which types the lot takes.

Paperwork locked inside the car? The lot cannot hold your removable personal items, including the license plate. With photo ID and proof of ownership (or written permission), you can get them during business hours at no charge if there is no police hold.

La. Admin. Code tit. 55, Pt. I, 1941(B); LPSC General Order 12-20-2024, Sched. V; La. Admin. Code tit. 55, Pt. I, 1941(E)

4Getting it back

• Towing and storage lots must be staffed and open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except state holidays. They must have a sign at the office and the storage entrance with their hours and an after-hours phone number.
• The lot must release the car immediately once you pay, any lienholder requirements are met, and there is no police hold. The rules do not give a set number of hours.
• You may look at and photograph the car, without a fee, during business hours before paying. The state does not allow extra charges for finding, viewing or moving it during those hours. No rule against signing a damage waiver was found.
• Inspect the car before you drive away, and photograph any damage.

La. Admin. Code tit. 55, Pt. I, 1943(B) and 1941(D); La. Admin. Code tit. 55, Pt. I, 1941(B); La. Admin. Code tit. 55, Pt. I, 1941(E), 1943(C)

5Was the tow legal?

Common problems with private tows in Louisiana include missing tow-away signs, charges above the legal maximum, and refusing a payment type the law requires.

Check my towSale deadlinesEvidence checklistDispute letter

Tow-away sign rules in Louisiana

These apply to property owners who have cars towed; company details required when the owner has a contract with a tow company.

• Where: Where drivers enter and leave the property; tow-zone areas or spaces must also be marked.
• Lettering at least 2 inches tall.
• Must show: the towing company's name.
• Must show: the towing company's phone number.

La. R.S. 32:1736(C) (opens in a new tab)

6How to dispute a tow

1. Collect evidence. Photograph the lot entrances and any signs, keep every receipt, and write down times and names.
2. Ask for an itemized invoice. The Public Service Commission sets the maximum price for non-consensual tows, including tows from private lots. From April 1, 2026, a standard car pulled from a private lot is capped at $152.50 flat, or $186.00 if special equipment or a second operator is needed and the company documents why.
3. File a complaint.
   • Louisiana Public Service Commission, Transportation Division
     Website (opens in a new tab)
   • Louisiana State Police, Towing and Recovery Unit
4. Go to court if needed. There is no release-bond hearing for private-lot tows in the law found. You can complain in writing to the Public Service Commission, and you do not need to pay the invoice first. Storage stops accruing from the date of a written complaint and is not owed if the charges are found excessive.
5. Consider small claims or a chargeback. Justice of the peace courts hear money claims up to $5,000, not counting interest, costs or attorney fees, alongside district court. City courts have their own, higher limits, and you can also sue for overcharges there. If you paid by credit card, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer. For billing errors, your written dispute generally must reach the issuer within 60 days of the first bill showing the charge. Whether a tow charge qualifies is up to the issuer.

7Deadlines to watch

Louisiana deadlines, counted from the law

• Lot must report car to state Office of Motor Vehicles within: 3 business days (see the law for when the count starts). La. R.S. 32:1719(A) (opens in a new tab)
• Lot must mail notice after state sends owner details: 10 business days (see the law for when the count starts). La. R.S. 32:1720(A)-(B) (opens in a new tab)
• Lot must mail notice after state sends owner details electronically: 5 business days (see the law for when the count starts), if state sent details electronically. La. R.S. 32:1720(A)-(B) (opens in a new tab)
• Storage may not be charged past day: 90 days after the tow. LPSC Gen. Order 12-20-2024, Sched. II(C); La. R.S. 32:1728(A)(3) (opens in a new tab)
• Lot must send final notice after days in storage: 45 days after the tow. La. R.S. 32:1728(A) (opens in a new tab)
• May ask state for sale permit after final notice mailed: 15 days after the tow company's notice. La. R.S. 32:1728(A) (opens in a new tab)

See the dates for your tow

Common questions

Not verified yet for Central

We only publish details we could confirm from an official source. These are still missing, so ask the agencies above:

• Addresses and hours of the tow lots that hold police tows
• An official online lookup for towed cars
• City-specific documents needed to pick up a car
• Local rules for someone else picking up your car
• Local auction schedules for unclaimed cars

Other cities in East Baton Rouge Parish

• Baton Rouge
• St. George